This weekend I picked up some Lariam; anti-malarial tablets to be precise.. I'd never had to think about taking strong prescriptive drugs before and I must say the leaflet that came with them was most enlightening..
Here's a quick run down of the most common side effects:

1) Feeling or actually being sick...

2) dizziness

3) vertigo

4) loss of balance

5) headaches

6) sleepiness

7) Sleep problems (They've covered both goalposts there)

8) diarrhoea

9) Stomach ache

To be fair, I'd quite expect this list on most prescriptive drugs as it covers most minor ailments, most you could even acquire from too much indulgence on any given night (how many on the list have you used as an excuse when calling in sick?). It was the second paragraph shortly after that caught my eye:

Unwanted Effects (note the absence of the word 'rare' or 'uncommon')

Effects on the nervous system: Psychiatric reactions which may be disabling and last for more than several weeks. These include unusual changes in mood or behaviour, feelings of worry or anxiety, depression, feelings of persecution, crying, aggression, restlessness, forgetfulness, agitation, confusion, panic and hallucinations (hallucinations always come last on lists of side effects).

Anyway, this adds a whole new twist on travelling to the other side of the world for the first time - Something You don't think about first "Oh, are you going travelling? have you thought about your Visa's? Passport? Hallucinations? Money? Language?.. Luckily I start taking them two weeks before so that should be enough to work out whether i'm heading on a voyage to South East Asia or a voyage to trip-out City.

Maybe it's a choice? Two off the top and one from the bottom please Carol... I think i'd have to go for the sleepiness and sleep problems (they'd cancel each other out, surely) and then i'd plump for forgetfulness off the second list as I'm already quite forgetful so maybe it won't be too noticeable..

There's another list shortly after that generally covers ALL other possible side effects; rashes, fluid retention, cramps, shortness/longness of breath, crooked smiles, hair loss and tongue growth..

I've assumed This information would be general procedure for most strong medicine... Lets look at the evidence around us. Daytime TV is awash with adverts where expert lawyers are telling you that you are entitled to one billion pounds for that paper-cut you got last week. Yep, we'll that we'll have that kind of pamphlet in a packet of cornflakes by 2010.